New England governors will meet in Hartford Thursday with an agenda of developing a regional strategy to increase natural gas supplies, reduce electricity costs and solve other energy challenges.

“The cost of energy in our region is a major issue that our states need to address in a collaborative way,” Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, host and chairman of the Coalition of Northeastern Governors, said in a news release Monday.

The governors’ energy summit will take place at the Connecticut Convention Center. Before the governors' closed-door meeting, there will be a Northeast Regional Energy Forum from 8:15 to 10 a.m., in which a panel of energy sector representatives will talk about regional energy infrastructure issues. The session is open to the public and will stream live via the Connecticut Network.

Panelists will include Richard Levitan, president and principal of Levitan & Associates; Gordon van Welie, president and chief executive officer of ISO New England; and Connecticut Consumer Counsel Elin Katz. A second panel will feature state energy officials who will talk about state initiatives and regional efforts already underway.

The governors’ meeting is the latest step in an initiative announced in December 2013, when the leaders of the six New England states signed an agreement to cooperate on projects to improve energy infrastructure.

Among topics the governors plan to discuss include high electricity costs, the need for pipeline projects to increase supplies of natural gas to power plants, concerns about reliability and challenges of bringing renewable energy power into the grid, according to the statement.

Govs. Paul LePage of Maine, Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island and Peter Shumlin of Vermont plan to attend.

j.benson@theday.com

Twitter: @BensonJudy